Higher learning

Thursday in New Haven started with a violent thunderstorm - made the windows tremble. It cleared up soon though and brought the temperature (and humidity) down to more endurable levels. We took a walk on the campus of Yale University (picture; please note Esther's deeply intellectual expression), which was very quiet - students having left for the summer. There were just some kids playing a game that appeared at least as complicated as American football.

We then drove to Mystic, Connecticut, a sweet little place on Mystic River (Esther: "it is an estuary, not a river!") where we stayed in the lovely Steamboat Inn - right on the bank of the river/estuary and in the middle of town. We walked around a bit and had lunch at Bravo Bravo (go there if you're in the neighborhood - they serve great food!) and then went to the Mystic Seaport maritime museum. That was a bit of a disappointment - we liked the Zuiderzeemuseum better. Took a brief boat trip which was nice although slightly embarassing as we were the only passengers and were signficantly outnumbered by the crew, which included a guide telling us about Connecticut's maritime history. After dinner (not so memorable), we had planned to watch the movie Mystic River but, not surprisingly considering all we had done and seen, fell asleep....!